1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of compositions, kits, and methods for cleaning and remineralizing a person's teeth.
2. The Relevant Technology
Virtually all people desire white or whiter teeth. To achieve this goal, people often have their teeth chemically bleached, which has become very popular in recent years. Even so, bleaching with peroxides (a typical active bleaching agent within a bleaching composition) has been shown to affect the surface morphology of enamel. In addition, studies are now showing that bleaching can have a negative impact on the micro and nano hardness of enamel. Both of these effects are believed to be caused by demineralization of the enamel during the tooth whitening process. Studies have also shown however, that the condition of the enamel typically improves to a condition near what it was before the bleaching treatment within a couple of weeks after bleaching has ended. It is believed that this occurs because the natural oral environment provides fluoride, calcium, and other mineral ions which allow this recovery to occur.
Although improvement seems to occur in typical cases, there is no guarantee that all of the necessary materials and/or ions are present in any particular person's saliva during this repair time. For example, there may be other materials and/or ions present in the saliva that might interfere and cause some randomization to the repair. Furthermore, the extent of improvement of any given individual may vary based on dietary differences, mineral concentrations in drinking water, whether the person smokes, or other factors affecting the environment within the mouth and the concentrations of components within the person's saliva. In addition, during the time in which the enamel surface is weakened and before repair can occur naturally, deterioration to the enamel surface may be more likely to occur as a result of bacteria and other microbes present within the oral cavity.
Other treatments (e.g., orthodontic procedures) are also known to result in demineralization and weakening of the enamel of a patient's teeth. In the case of orthodontic treatments, it is often difficult to thoroughly brush, floss, and otherwise care for the teeth and gum tissue while orthodontic appliances are in place. In addition, orthodontic brackets necessarily cover a portion of the tooth enamel as they are bonded to the tooth surface for several months or longer (e.g., sometimes years), making care of the underlying and surrounding enamel and other tissues very difficult. As a result, demineralization and weakening of the enamel is often an undesirable side effect of orthodontic treatment.